


Red

by Sadisticsparkle (sadisticsparkle)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), M/M, POV Steve Rogers, discord made me do it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 20:27:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16960938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadisticsparkle/pseuds/Sadisticsparkle
Summary: Steve's there on Titan. They win, at a cost.





	Red

**Author's Note:**

> A small something for the 500 members celebration of the MCU Steve/Tony +18 Discord server.

His face hits the dirt. For a second, all he can see is sand the color of copper, the color of blood. He pushes himself up. His hands are stained. Red, like the sky and like the boiling despair inside him. He breathes in and breathes out, the air traveling through his throat like a saw. The roar in his ears hides the distant sounds of the battle.

He can’t allow himself to be distracted, so he turns around and buries the pain deep inside below layers of duty and self-sacrifice. Sam would say ‘suicidal tendencies’.

He drags his feet towards the battle - Iron Man ( ~~Tony~~ Stark. _Tony_ ) is distracting Thanos. He’s grown creative with his new armor. His movements are more fluid and there’s no difference between his skin and the Iron Man shell. He always used to say Iron Man and him were one, but it was never like that. Steve itches to touch Tony’s actual skin but the cold barrier of metal is as impenetrable as Tony’s resentment.

Steve made a choice in Siberia. He has to live with it.

He squares his shoulders. No more distractions. He jumps into the fray. His mind is blessedly quiet when he fights. He’s on autopilot. There’s a plan, they’ve got to follow it, they’ve got to protect the Time Stone. Take off Thanos’ gauntlet. Will the Stones away.

Steve repeats it in his mind. _Plan. Protect the Time Stone. Take off Gauntlet._ He keeps repeating it when Star-Lord loses it. When Thanos gains ground. When Thor shows up with a new weapon and a new haircut. When Thanos throws a moon at them.

And then Tony is stabbed - his hearing picks up the way Tony’s bones shatter inside him, the way his muscles are sliced -. It’s gone in a second, the litany in his head.

‘Tony, stand down! We’ll handle it!’

Tony doesn’t.

‘I can handle it, Cap!’ he says and he flies towards Thanos but Steve can tell his reaction time is slower. That his hits have less force behind them.

Thanos goes for the kill, ready to strike Tony and Steve doesn’t know how he jumps, but he does and suddenly he’s the only thing standing between Tony and Thanos. It’s not long before Thanos tosses him aside, but it’s enough. Spider-man’s got the Gauntlet and then Strange takes it. There’s a blinding light and the Stones are gone.

Tony smiles, like he does when he’s about to make a joke, but then falls to his knees. Steve kneels down next to him, cradling his head on his lap. There are bruises growing on Tony’s face and dried blood on his lips.

‘It’s over. We won. We’ll be back home soon and…’ he starts. It feels hollow. His words. His voice. His heart.

Tony’s eyes seek Steve’s.

‘Steve. I need to tell you, I never told you.’

Steve shakes his head.

‘I know. I always knew.’

Tony almost smiles, but then he stills and doesn’t move again.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Words in Empty Spaces](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17874764) by [vorkosigan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vorkosigan/pseuds/vorkosigan)




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